Life on Hold
by spacemonkeylover
Summary: SG1 can't remember what happened on their last mission, whatever did happen has led to a dramatic change in life style for one member in particular.Chpt 11 now up!
1. Part 1

Title: Life on Hold Author: Dr Sarah Fraiser Rating: PG-13 Pairing: Jam (Jack/Sam) eventually Disclaimer: I don't own Stargate SG1, the characters or the rights...although I do own a nice pair of Daniel's boxers that he left behind once... Spoilers: None Season: Anytime before 'Heroes' and after 'Tok'ra part 2'  
  
Part 1  
  
The sun crept around the curtains to the bed, the figure rolled over, away from the light. Soon the sun was dancing all around, waking the woman who let out a groan.  
  
Sam Carter yawned and tried to snuggle further under the blankets. She hadn't been sleeping well lately, since the last mission really although none of SG1 could remember what happened on that planet.  
  
It had started as a recon and ended up as a rescue, SG1 had gone to the planet because the MALP had shown there were traces of Naquada. The last thing they remembered before waking up in the infirmary was stepping through the 'gate, apparently they had been 48 hours over due before Hammond authorised SG's 3 and 4 to go and find them.  
  
It had been a week since that mission and still no one knows what happened, Sam supposed that the others were having trouble sleeping as well but with Daniel on a coffee buzz 24/7 and the Colonel and Teal'c's stoic tendency's, she was the only one showing signs. Hammond had noticed and given her two extra hours in the morning before she had to go into work and two extra hours off at night hoping that she could catch up on her sleep- well it was catching up with her and she hadn't slept too badly last night but it wasn't improving by much.  
  
She decided to get up, even though she wasn't due into work for another three hours. She got up, had a nice long shower, got dressed and had breakfast. She didn't eat a lot, her stomach was playing up and she didn't trust it with too much.  
  
She left for work and arrived an hour early, the Colonel was already there and raised his eyebrows when she walked past him.  
  
"Bit early aren't we Carter?"  
  
"Yes Sir, couldn't sleep."  
  
"You should see Fraiser, see if she can give you anything."  
  
"I'm fine Sir."  
  
"You sure Carter? You've seemed a bit...weird lately." He winced at his choice of words but smiled when the corners of her mouth turned up slightly. "You eaten yet?"  
  
"Yes Sir."  
  
"What did you eat?" He crossed his arms across his chest when she didn't answer. "Well?"  
  
"Half a slice of toast." She said sheepishly.  
  
"Half a...Carter-commissary now. That's an order Major." He took her by the elbow and steered her to the lift. "So what exactly is the problem Carter?"  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"As your CO...as your friend I am worried about you-you look like shit, you haven't been eating or sleeping properly and frankly you're starting to scare me." He said once they were alone in the lift.  
  
"I'm fine, its probably just a stomach bug or something, it's been feeling a bit weird lately. That's all, I swear."  
  
"I still want you to see the Doc, you don't want this to keep going on do you?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Then as soon as you've eaten, we'll head on over to the infirmary-just to be safe." He looked into her eyes, she was scared that he was scared-he could tell. "It's probably nothing like you said."  
  
The doors opened and they walked to the commissary, Jack went up to get the food while Sam sat at one of the spare tables.  
  
"I can't eat anymore." Sam said pushing the plate away from her.  
  
Jack looked at his 2IC with concern. "Well least you can say you've had a whole piece of toast this morning."  
  
"I think I'm going to be sick." She said running out of the commissary, leaving a confused Daniel and Teal'c standing in the doorway.  
  
"What was that about?" Daniel asked as Jack walked after her.  
  
"Call Janet and tell her Sam's ill." He said before hurrying off.  
  
Jack found Sam in the women's toilets; she looked as if she had just emptied the contents of her stomach into the toilet.  
  
"You're not supposed to be in here Sir, it's the women's toilets." She said leaning back against the wall.  
  
"I have a good enough reason. Come on, let's get you to Janet."  
  
He helped her to stand then walked her to the infirmary; he exchanged a worried glance with the petite doctor before helping Sam onto the bed.  
  
"I'll be back after the tests." He said before leaving so that Janet could find out why Sam was ill.  
  
An hour later Jack was back at the infirmary and getting instructions to drive Sam back to her house and make sure she gets some rest.  
  
"The results may take a while but I'll ring you when I have them." She smiled. "Sam, if you need anything just give me a call."  
  
"I will Jan, thanks." She smiled back before being led out by Jack.  
  
-----------------------------  
  
"Colonel, I can look after myself." Sam said grumpily as Jack grabbed a blanket out of the cupboard and draped it over her.  
  
"I have my orders Major, they are to make sure you have plenty or rest and eat decent meals, preferably not throwing them up afterwards." He added walking into the kitchen to put the kettle on.  
  
Jack smiled as he saw her scowling from the other room.  
  
"Why do you have to be so self reliant Samantha?" He asked. "You do have friends who are more than willing to help if you need it."  
  
"I...uh." She shut her mouth again and continued scowling.  
  
"Anyway, you have someone to look after you, cook your meals, clean your house while you sleep, eat and do nothing. Why are you complaining?"  
  
Jack didn't expect an answer; he'd known Sam long enough to know when she was going to be as stubborn as him. He looked out from behind the cupboard door and saw her yawning.  
  
"Why don't you have a sleep Carter? I'll sort out some things and move my stuff into your spare room."  
  
"Sure." She mumbled and lay down, falling asleep as soon as her head touched the pillow.  
  
Jack smiled at the sleeping woman then went to sort out his things.  
  
Two days passed, Daniel and Teal'c had visited as concerned for Sam's welfare as Jack had been. Sam had mainly slept, eaten and thrown up. Jack had mainly cooked, cleaned up and made sure Sam didn't do anything.  
  
"Hey Colonel, Sam's results are back, can you bring her in?"  
  
"Sure Doc, this afternoon okay?"  
  
"Yeah, see you then." Jack hung up the phone.  
  
"Are my results back?" Sam asked making Jack jump.  
  
"Geez Carter, I thought you were asleep!" He said sitting in the armchair next to her. "Yeah, she wants us to go in today."  
  
"How did she sound? Worried?" Sam asked anxiously.  
  
"Uh, too be honest I think she sounded a bit distracted. Daniel probably walked in with his arm hanging off or something."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Sam, you'll be fine-it's probably a weird case of the flu or something." He clapped her on the shoulder. "Come on, you have to get dressed."  
  
Half an hour later Jack was walking Sam into Janet's office.  
  
"Uh Colonel, could you leave us for a while?" Janet asked pointing to the door.  
  
"Sure, I'm gonna go find T." He said before disappearing.  
  
"It's not bad is it Janet-you'd tell me if it was bad?" Sam asked quickly.  
  
"Sam, as you know I did every test possible, twice. One of the tests turned out positive both times so I checked it again...Sam you're pregnant."  
  
TBC if I get lots of feedback 


	2. Part 2

Life on Hold part 2  
  
"No Janet there has to be some mistake!" Sam said, her eyes wide with shock and her hand held protectively over her stomach.  
  
"Sam, I checked it three times."  
  
"But I can't be...I mean I haven't...not for ages." Sam frowned.  
  
One of the things she hadn't even thought that Janet would tell her was that she was pregnant, her last boyfriend had been Jonas Hanson which was before the Stargate program even started, her work had kept her too busy for a steady relationship or any relationship.  
  
Sam put her head in her hands.  
  
"How far gone am I?"  
  
"About a week and a half."  
  
"How could this happen?" She whimpered.  
  
Janet crouched down next to Sam's chair and put a reassuring hand on her leg.  
  
"Sam, whatever happens we will all be here for you. I will get to the bottom of this."  
  
"But this can't happen to me, I've got too much to do here, this is my life." Sam looked Janet in the eyes.  
  
"It's your decision honey, it's up to you whether you want to keep the baby...there are plenty of options to consider."  
  
"It's not like I don't want a baby, I do, I just didn't expect it too be so soon and so unexpected. I thought that what with Jolinar, I couldn't..."  
  
"Well we all thought there would be trouble if ever you did want children, I guess we were wrong."  
  
"Oh Janet, I don't know what to do."  
  
Janet pulled Sam into a hug and let her cry it out.  
  
"I can't kill it Janet." Sam muttered into her shoulder.  
  
"I know."  
  
"What am I going to tell the Colonel? What am I going to tell my dad?" She pulled away from Janet.  
  
"Don't worry about that at the moment, as for the Colonel and the rest of SG1, they will be supportive and go and kick crap out of whoever is responsible." She smiled.  
  
Sam laughed. "I can't tell them yet, you can't tell anyone."  
  
"Doctor patient confidentiality. I need to give you an injection, I think the reaction the baby is having to the Naquada in your blood is making you sick. It should right itself after a couple more days." Janet said getting out a pair of rubber gloves and a hypodermic needle.  
  
She injected Sam with the syringe then put it away again.  
  
"You know that whatever happens Cassie and I will always be a phone call away, anytime just call."  
  
"I know Jan, thanks." Sam got up to leave.  
  
"I'm going to take you off active duty. I'll have to tell the General why, do you want to come with me?"  
  
"Yes, I better be there." Sam smiled but Janet could see the emotions and confusion behind it.  
  
The two women walked up to the General's office to find the man sitting behind his desk filling in mission reports.  
  
"Doctor, Major." He acknowledged, motioning for them to take a seat. "I trust you are feeling better Major Carter?"  
  
"That's actually what we are here about General." Janet said.  
  
"Go on."  
  
"Well, Major Carter's test results came back Sir. And I, uh have to take her off active duty Sir."  
  
Hammond started to worry, his top astrophysist and Stargate expert was ill.  
  
"What seems to be the matter?"  
  
"Well, we're not sure how this happened Sir, but Major Carter is pregnant."  
  
"By 'not sure', what exactly do you mean?" He asked.  
  
"Uh, well I haven't been with anyone for quite a while Sir." Sam said embarrassed.  
  
"Well this is strange." He thought for a moment. "Could it be something to do with SG1's last mission?"  
  
"It is very likely Sir, she is a week and a half pregnant so the timing would be about right." Janet said working it out in her head.  
  
"So it could be an alien baby?" Sam asked shocked.  
  
"We can't rule that out at the moment, when it is more developed we can do scans to see if it is human." Janet assured her friend.  
  
Sam looked as if she would burst into tears again.  
  
"Major Carter, I will send another team to the planet to try and find out if there are any life forms there that would know about this. I will tell the team that I want to know what happened to SG1 while you were there, not about the present circumstances." Hammond sighed. "Sam, do you want me to contact the Tok'ra?"  
  
"Not yet, I want to wait a while before I tell dad."  
  
"What about your team?"  
  
"I'll tell them, just not right now."  
  
"That's understandable Major, if you want the week off."  
  
"Yes Sir, thank you." They all stood.  
  
Hammond surprised them both by pulling Sam into a hug.  
  
"If you need anything Sam, I'm the other end of the phone."  
  
"Thank you Sir."  
  
"We'll talk about your future in the Air Force at a later date, I'm presuming you are going to keep the baby?"  
  
"Yes Sir."  
  
"Very well, have a good week Major." He smiled as they left the room.  
  
"One down." Sam muttered causing Janet to smile.  
  
"Shall I ring the Colonel to come and pick you up?" Janet asked when they were back in the infirmary.  
  
"No need." Jack said walking in and winking.  
  
"Talk of the devil." Sam smiled.  
  
"Well I'm glad you have your sense of humour back. So what's the verdict doc?"  
  
"A week off, I don't think she needs babysitting anymore though Colonel."  
  
"Aw, I just got season four of the Simpsons on DVD, we could have had a marathon." Jack wined.  
  
"Well I still need a lift home and you need to pick up your stuff so why not stay the rest of the afternoon and watch the Simpsons?"  
  
"You really want to watch the Simpsons?"  
  
"I may make fun of your addiction but it doesn't mean I don't like it." Sam smiled. "Thanks Jan, come round sometime."  
  
"I will, you need your injections anyway."  
  
"Bye Doc, don't bring those needles anywhere near me." He warned before walking after Sam.  
  
---------------------------  
  
Jack plonked the bowl of popcorn down on the table in front of him.  
  
"Popcorn, check. DVD's, check.. Beer, check. Carter, no check." He sighed. "Hey Carter! Hurry up, we'll be here all night otherwise."  
  
Sam walked into the room with a glass of orange juice and a box of tissues (just in case). Jack gave her a quizzical look.  
  
"Colonel, before we watch your DVD's I need to tell you something..."  
  
I said review dammit! I'll be nice if you review...honest-I can do nice. 


	3. Part 3

"Colonel, before we watch your DVD's I need to tell you something..."  
  
Life on Hold part 3  
  
"Sure Carter, what's the problem?" He asked, concern written all over his face.  
  
"I just wanted to let you know before Hammond says anything, I'm being taken off active duty." She looked down at her hands.  
  
"Why? Is it something to do with you being ill?"  
  
"Something like that. I...before I say anything you have to promise me you won't go off at the deep end, because this is hard for me and I'm scared."  
  
Jack clasped his hand around hers for support.  
  
"I won't say anything until you've finished." He promised.  
  
"Well, no one, that is to say Janet and I don't know how his happened because I haven't...what I mean is that I'm...I'm pregnant." She looked up in time to see the rush of emotions flash across his face as he tried to keep them under control.  
  
"Who's is it?" He finally asked.  
  
"I don't know, we think it might have happened on our last mission."  
  
"So it could be mine, Daniel's or Teal'c's?"  
  
Sam had never looked at it that way before. If it were one of theirs she would feel a lot better knowing that it wasn't going to be hunted down its entire life for experimentation.  
  
"It could be, or it could be an alien. None of us can remember so we can't rule anything out." Sam was starting to get tearful again.  
  
"Sam," He pulled her into his chest so that he could comfort her. "This must be really hard for you. I'm sorry."  
  
"Sorry for what?"  
  
"Sorry if I did this to you, sorry if it was any of us. But just think, you have a little baby growing inside of you, someone to love and care for and be an excellent mother to, someone who will love you back and always be there for you-even if you have the odd arguments." He smiled. "You'll be a great mum Sam, we'll be here to help if and when you need it."  
  
"I've heard lots of those today."  
  
"What? 'I'll be there if you need me'?"  
  
"That and 'I'm just a phone call away'." She smiled. "I'm scared though Jack, what if it's an alien and the NID will be after it, what if I'm a bad mum, what if..."  
  
"Too many 'what if's Sam. You'll be fine, the baby will be fine. Trust me when I say this-Teal'c and I have both been through this I can assure you- what you are feeling is called first time mother syndrome, it affects your reasoning and reasonable thinking."  
  
Sam smiled, still leaning into him, her head on his shoulder. That is where she stayed the whole night-asleep on his shoulder while he watched the Simpsons and stroked her hair.  
  
Sam woke up the next morning with a blanket covering her and the smell of cooking coming from the kitchen. She got up quickly before the smell of aftershave made her throw up, it was coming from her couch where Jack had been sitting the night before.  
  
Jack smiled as she walked into the kitchen wrapped in the blanket, her hair sticking out at odd angles.  
  
"Sleep well?" He grinned.  
  
"For the first time in a week and a half." She sat down on the kitchen stool. "Oh, and before you come near me again please change the aftershave."  
  
"That makes you feel sick?"  
  
Sam nodded tiredly.  
  
"Okay, well food's done so help yourself. Just remember you are eating for two so actually eat this time." He smiled before heading to the shower for a wash.  
  
When Jack came back down Sam had eaten most of the food leaving very little for him.  
  
"Hungry were we?"  
  
"Least I can keep it down now." She said stretching.  
  
"So what injections was the Doc on about yesterday?" He sat down next to her and started to finish off the bacon and eggs.  
  
"She thinks that the reason I'm throwing up so much is because the baby is having a reaction to the naquada in my blood. She said it should right its self in the next couple of weeks but for now I have to have something to help."  
  
"So what are we doing today?"  
  
"We?"  
  
"Yeah, I phoned Hammond while you were still asleep to tell him what happened, why I would be late and he told me to make sure you were alright and to stay with you as long as necessary just to be on the safe side."  
  
"Well I could do with the company." Se gave him a small smile.  
  
"Good, because you can't get rid of me that easily. Oh and Janet left a message to remind you to take it easy."  
  
"Besides you love kids right?"  
  
"There's that, also I have to train you in putting up with your co-workers and friends talking to your stomach as if it had a mind of its own."  
  
"Well at the moment I wouldn't be surprised if it did."  
  
Jack laughed.  
  
"How about shopping, window shopping and long coffee, make that orange juice breaks. How are you going to live without coffee?"  
  
"I'll survive, maybe the way to wean Daniel off coffee is to get him pregnant."  
  
"I'm sure medical science has advanced enough to try it." Jack shuddered. "I have the mental image of Daniel in a dress with a huge belly."  
  
"I'm going to need new clothes." Sam smiled.  
  
Jack smiled. "Not for a while. Talking of...when are you going to tell Daniel and Teal'c?"  
  
Sam sighed.  
  
"I don't know, it'll be weird. Especially since it could be one of them, they're like my family."  
  
"And I'm not?"  
  
Sam blushed; she hadn't meant it like that.  
  
"I...you're different, you're my CO and..."  
  
"Daniel and Teal'c are more like brothers but I am always that possibility for more?" He asked clearing the plates away.  
  
"I uh, what I mean is..."  
  
"Don't worry about it Sam, go get dressed while I wash this mess up."  
  
As soon as Sam had left the room Jack sighed and ran his hands through his short hair. He thought about all the possibilities that lay ahead; the different variations of the child's fathers, the fact that he could be Uncle Jack again now that Cassie had grown out of that, or even daddy Jack. He thought about how he could help Sam; Charlie's old crib was in Sara's house, she wouldn't mind if he borrowed it for a few months, maybe he could actually ask Sam out now with out all the hassles of being under the same chain of command.  
  
He was still thinking about that when Sam walked in wearing a pair of jeans and a t-shirt and looking very sexy if you asked him.  
  
"Ready?" He asked.  
  
"Sure." She smiled then walked out to Jack's car.  
  
There was an awkward silence as Jack drove into town and found a parking space, they agreed on which shop to go to first then walked in silence. It wasn't until they were actually in the shop surrounded by baby clothes and toys that Sam broke that silence.  
  
"There's too much to choose from."  
  
"Just remember, today is for looking, not deciding what we need. You've got another eight and a halfish months to go." He reassured the overwhelmed woman.  
  
After a while the were walking around like a couple, imagining what they would do if it was a boy or if it was a girl, what colours the room should be and thinking of baby names. Then they bumped into Sgt Siler.  
  
"Colonel, Major!" He said picking the things he had dropped up off the floor.  
  
"Siler, what a surprise." Jack said.  
  
"What are you doing here?" Sam asked.  
  
"My sister just had twins, thought I'd help out a bit and get some of the things she needs." He then looked questioningly at his two superior officers, together, in a baby shop. "Uh, what are you two doing here?"  
  
"One of my old friends wife's just had a little girl." Jack said holding up a pink baby hat. "I needed a woman's opinion." He gestured towards Sam.  
  
"Oh I feel so used." She smiled.  
  
"Well have a nice day Sir, Ma'am."  
  
"You too Siler."  
  
As soon as Siler was out of range Sam turned to Jack. "What if it's twins?"  
  
"Calm down, Janet will do ultra sounds and stuff to find out. It's a bit early to worry about that now." He patted her arm then pulled her over to another display. "We have to get these, I love Winnie the Pooh."  
  
"Jack, there are about five different sizes of Pooh here, three of Tigger and this Eyeore's tail is missing." Sam said holding up the stuffed animal.  
  
"No look, it's on a string so it won't go missing."  
  
"I think these are for older children." Sam folded her arms.  
  
"Can I have one, please? Please Sam, I'll be a good boy." He did his best innocent expression.  
  
"Sure, have a Tigger, he's the best." She smiled and walked to the check out. 


	4. Part 4

"Can I have one, please? Please Sam, I'll be a good boy." He did his best innocent expression.  
  
"Sure, have a Tigger, he's the best." She smiled and walked to the check out.  
  
Life on Hold part 4  
  
The Tigger toy stayed on Sam's coffee table, mainly because Jack had forgotten it on purpose when he had gone into work the next day. Sam had insisted she would be all right on her own for a while, besides Janet had said she would pop over in the afternoon for a chat.  
  
Janet arrived just after lunch; she had raised her eyebrows when she had caught sight of Tigger on the coffee table.  
  
"It's the Colonel's." Sam said picking it up.  
  
"The Colonel's? Isn't he a bit old, or more to the point, why is it here?"  
  
"He forgot it when he went home last night then didn't want to take it to work this morning after he stopped by."  
  
Janet raised her eyebrows again.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Well you aren't exactly under his chain of command anymore."  
  
"Janet!" Sam cried throwing the toy at her.  
  
"I was just saying." She smiled with a glint in her eye.  
  
"Well don't just say it." Sam frowned. "Life is too complicated at the moment without you trying to set me up with him."  
  
"I'm not trying to set you up with him, you two are doing that yourselves." Janet sat down next to her friend. "So what did you do yesterday?"  
  
"We went to all the baby stores in the Springs, just to look. We saw Siler there..."  
  
Sam described their day together; the smile on Janet's face was getting bigger and more mischievous as Sam came to an end.  
  
"Well seems like you two had a great time."  
  
"Apart from when I was sick and Jack actually took me into the ladies toilets. No, that was quite funny come to think about it."  
  
"Oh, so its Jack now is it?"  
  
"I guess." Sam smiled to herself; things were looking better and better.  
  
The phone rang and Sam answered.  
  
"Oh hello Sir."  
  
Janet poked Sam who slapped her away.  
  
"Yes, she's here...okay. Yes, I'm fine...of course I ate lunch. See you later...bye." She hung up.  
  
"What did the lovely Colonel want?"  
  
"He wanted to know if you were here, Hammond is sending SG3 and SG1 minus Daniel, back to the planet to find out what happened."  
  
"When?"  
  
"Tomorrow, they all need their physicals early in the morning."  
  
"Great," She sighed. "Teal'c is the only one out of that lot who doesn't complain about the needles or having cold hands or whatever."  
  
Sam smiled. "What's Daniel like then?"  
  
"Oh he normally goes bright red when asked to take off his pants or his shirt, almost always asks for a repeat prescription of antihistamines and another pair of glasses."  
  
"Least he knows what's wrong with him." Sam grinned. "So what am I like?"  
  
"You're the only one who takes it like a man."  
  
----------------------------  
  
Sam opened the door to see Daniel standing on her porch.  
  
"Hey Daniel, come in." She smiled and stepped back to let him in.  
  
"Hey Sam, how are you feeling now?" He smiled and gave her a one armed hug.  
  
"I'm alright, want a coffee?" She asked walking into the kitchen.  
  
"Sure."  
  
"So what brings you here?" She smiled as she set his coffee onto the table next to the Tigger toy Daniel was eyeing suspiciously.  
  
"Well I thought you could do with some company, Teal'c and Jack being off world and all."  
  
Sam smiled. "You are always welcome Daniel."  
  
"Aren't you having a coffee?" He asked noticing the one-cup.  
  
"Uh, no. I need to tell you something Daniel." She clasped her hands together and looked at them.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"Well, no one has told you this yet, you aren't the last to know or anything but, I'm being taken off active duty."  
  
"What? Why Sam?" He took her hand.  
  
"Because, well the reason I've been ill the last couple of weeks is that I'm pregnant."  
  
"Congratulations Sam, who's the lucky guy?" Daniel said a bit shocked, make that a lot shocked.  
  
"Uh, there's the problem. It must have happened on our last mission so..."  
  
"Ah."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Who knows?"  
  
"Janet, the General, the Colonel and you now. I have to tell Teal'c and Cassie before the rest of the base catches on."  
  
"Oh Sam, this must be really confusing and scary for you." Daniel put an arm around her.  
  
"It is, I mean everyone has been really good about it but they don't understand, they can't. I have this baby growing inside me that is going to change my life and I have no control over it." Sam cried into his shoulder.  
  
"I can't honestly say that I know what you are going through, but I know you Sam. You are one of the most brilliant people I know; once you put your mind to something you do it. You'll be a great mum, trust me."  
  
"Thanks Daniel."  
  
-------------------  
  
"So O'Neill, you remember anything yet?" The leader of SG3 asked as they walked away from the 'gate.  
  
"No, where did you find us? That'd be a good place to start." He asked scanning the area.  
  
The two SG1 members followed SG3 to a clearing in the sparse forest. There was a man in blue robes sitting in what looked like meditation.  
  
"Uh, excuse me..." Jack started.  
  
The man's eyes shot open and widened with surprise at seeing them. He got up quickly and made a move to run away.  
  
"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Jack aimed his gun at the man's head.  
  
"Hello one called O'Neill." The man bowed his head nervously. "And the one called Teal'c."  
  
"And you are?"  
  
"The one called Kitok." The man bowed again.  
  
"What did you do to us last time we were here?" Jack demanded.  
  
"I did nothing to you."  
  
"Who did then?"  
  
"You were given the forgetting juice, we did not want to be discovered so we gave it to you." The man said hurriedly.  
  
"What did you do to Carter?"  
  
"Carter?" The man looked perplexed. "There was only you both, the one called Daniel and the one called Samantha."  
  
"Fine, what did you do to Samantha?" Jack said annoyed.  
  
The small man blushed. "We do not have what you call women in this place, we did not know what she was."  
  
"What did you do to her?" Jack was shouting now.  
  
"Come I will show you." The man said turning on his heels and walking off into the undergrowth. 


	5. Part 5

"What did you do to her?" Jack was shouting now.  
  
"Come I will show you." The man said turning on his heels and walking off into the undergrowth.  
  
Life on Hold part 5  
  
symbolises flash back  
  
Kitok led SG1 and 3 to another clearing with small village in it consisting of about four huts with thatched roofs. They were taken to the largest of the huts in the centre of the clearing where several men were talking.  
  
"Kitok, why did you bring them here?" One of the older men asked.  
  
"They wish to know what happened to the one called Samantha." Kitok stared at the floor.  
  
"Very well, bring the one called O'Neill to the memory chamber."  
  
"Memory chamber?" Jack mouthed to Teal'c who raised an eyebrow.  
  
The memory chamber was actually a smaller room with a chair in the middle; Kitok motioned for Jack to sit in it. The older man brought out a box from somewhere and opened it to reveal a device not dissimilar to the Tok'ra recall device; he then placed one on either side of Jack's head.  
  
He stepped out of the wormhole right behind Carter, eyeing her six as she walked down the steps.  
  
"The readings are showing some kind of energy coming in that direction Sir." She said turning around.  
  
"Okay, lets head out team."  
  
Jack shook his head as the memory changed.  
  
SG1 were sat around a small table drinking and eating with the locals who were all fascinated with Sam. Sam was wedged in between Jack and Teal'c at the table for her own safety.  
  
"So, uh how do you reproduce?" Daniel asked.  
  
"We were brought through the Great Ring when we were fourteen of your years, we have no recollection of our time before hand." One of the men said. "How do you?"  
  
"Uh..." Daniel went a slightly redder shade.  
  
"Stop harassing our visitors Kitok, would you like more to drink?"  
  
The memory changed again.  
  
Jack crawled out of the tent, he couldn't sleep and his thinking seemed to be a bit fuzzy. He spotted Sam sitting with her back to him on a rock. Slowly, he made his way over to the rock and pounced on her making sure his hand was over her mouth.  
  
"Shh, its only me." Jack whispered into her ear.  
  
"What was that for?" Sam whispered back when he had removed his hand.  
  
"It was just a bit of fun Major." He said with a glint in his eyes. "Don't you like to have fun Major?"  
  
"Life is never dull with you around colonel." She said flirtily.  
  
"Come on, let's go for a walk." He grabbed her hand and pulled her up.  
  
"But I'm on watch."  
  
"No one will notice, besides its not like these people are going to kill us in our sleep or anything."  
  
"Okay." Sam smiled and followed Jack through the dark until they came to a lone hut in the forest.  
  
"There's no one here." Jack said.  
  
"Lets go and explore." Sam pulled his hand until they were both in the small hut.  
  
"It's cosy." He took a step closer to Sam and brushed a strand of hair out of her face.  
  
"Do you get the feeling that we shouldn't be doing this?" She asked leaning in closer.  
  
"Yeah, but lets not think about that at the moment." Jack leaned down to capture her soft lips in his.  
  
They kissed passionately, Jack stumbled back until his legs hit the bed and he sat down. Never breaking their lip contact, Sam straddled his lap and ran her hands through his hair. Soon he was pulling up her top and she was unbuckling his belt. He could taste her and smell her and he never wanted to let go...  
  
Jack shook his head and focussed on Kitok and the old man.  
  
"You drugged us!" He yelled ripping off the memory device. "You smarmy, little gits!"  
  
"We are sorry one called O'Neill, we were curious to know how your kind..."  
  
"Didn't your mother ever tell you that curiosity killed the cat?" Jack asked angrily.  
  
"What is a cat one called O'Neill?"  
  
"We're out of here." Jack said slinging his P-90 over his shoulder and walking to the door.  
  
Teal'c followed with one eyebrow raised, SG3 looked confused but followed anyway.  
  
The way back to the 'gate was silent, the leader of SG3 had asked what had happened but all he received was a glare that said 'don't talk to me if you want to live'.  
  
"Colonel O'Neill, did you find out the necessary information?" General Hammond asked.  
  
"Yes Sir." Jack said before walking out of the room to get changed.  
  
Hammond turned to the rest of the team. "Well?"  
  
"We are unsure General Hammond. Only O'Neill was given the opportunity to remember the events." Teal'c said.  
  
"Very well, I'll debrief the Colonel later. You needn't bother going."  
  
--------------------------  
  
"So son, what exactly happened?" Hammond asked as Jack sat at the briefing table with his head in his hands.  
  
"There was a village Sir, all men apparently sent to that planet when they were fourteen to look after it or something. Anyway, they couldn't remember what a woman was so took a lot of interest in Carter. To cut a long story short, they drugged our food so that we wouldn't remember what had happened which had an adverse affect to people attracted to each other. In other words General, that night while Carter was on duty and I couldn't sleep we went for a walk, found a hut and let your imagination fill you in on the rest." He banged his head on the table.  
  
"Well this complicates things a bit more."  
  
"Just a bit Sir, just a bit."  
  
"Well, I'll tell you what I think would be the best possible action..."  
  
-----------------------  
  
Daniel opened the door to Sam's house later that day.  
  
"Hey Jack, so find out what happened?"  
  
"Yes Daniel I did." He said unhappily. "Look Daniel, could you give me a while alone with Sam, we have to talk."  
  
"Sure Jack. Hey Sam! Jack's here so I'm gonna go, see you tomorrow."  
  
"Okay Daniel, thanks for coming over." Sam smiled as she walked into the room. "Hello Sir."  
  
"Cut the Sir Sam, you're not under my chain of command anymore." He said walking into her front room. "You haven't been for a month now."  
  
"What?"  
  
"As of one month ago, when you signed the request to move off SG1 which Hammond signed, you have not been a member of SG1."  
  
"I don't understand."  
  
"Sam, I went back to the planet, they did that whole Tok'ra memory thingy on me and I saw what we did. They drugged us, the people of that planet, and then we had sex-we had wild and passionate sex Sam and I am the father of your baby."  
  
Sam's jaw dropped.  
  
"Yeah, well Hammond has a plan and has put it into action already."  
  
"We...you are the father?"  
  
"Yes Sam, now listen to me carefully. Here is the request that 'you' wrote to Hammond, you just need to sign the bottom and date it a month yesterday. Your mission report has been altered as well so that you were just accompanying SG1 for scientific reasons."  
  
Sam nodded not really taking much of this in, she signed where Jack had pointed then sank back onto the couch. Jack looked at Sam and sighed.  
  
"Sam, I'll be with you the whole way okay? Not just because I'm the father, you know that right?"  
  
"It's just a bit overwhelming." She said quietly.  
  
"I know." He put his arm around her and held her tight. 


	6. Part 6

"_It's just a bit overwhelming." She said quietly._

"_I know." He put his arm around her and held her tight._

Life on Hold part 6

When Sam invited SG1, Janet and Cassie over to tell them that the father was Jack, they were all a bit shocked to say the least. Daniel and Cassie managed to smash two of Sam's favourite glasses and Janet was speechless for around half an hour, Teal'c being Teal'c raised one eyebrow then the other and sat that way for the rest of the night.

The realisation that Jack was the father didn't hit home to Sam until he was helping her clean up after the guests had left.

"You're going to be a father again." Sam said dumping a bag full of broken glass into the bin.

"Yeah," He smiled at her. "I am."

"Look Jack, I uh don't want you to feel pressured into helping me out more than you would because of that."

"Sam, I would never feel pressured into helping you out. What are friends for?" he asked then walked out into the living room to collect the plates.

"Yeah, that's what _friends_ are for." Sam muttered.

The week after, Sam was back at the SGC, Janet had given her her first scan to make sure the baby was all right and everything looked fine.

A couple of weeks later, the SGC had a surprise visit from their least favourite Senator, Kinsey turned up looking for trouble.

"Senator Kinsey, this is a nice surprise." Hammond said sarcastically.

"Yes, well word has got out that things have changed here General, things involving your premiere team."

"Well yes, things have changed but it's taken you two months to find out?"

"Just call SG1 to the briefing room General." He sneered.

A couple of minutes later, Colonel O'Neill came bounding into the briefing room followed by Dr. Jackson and Teal'c. Jack stopped dead in his tracks.

"Argh, what now Kinsey?" He cried.

"Colonel O'Neill, how nice to see you and your team again, where is Major Carter?"

"Probably in her lab like a good girl Kinsey, what's it to do with you?"

"Well when SG1 is called together don't you normally expect the whole of SG1 to turn up?"

"New flash, this is the whole of SG1." Daniel said.

"Someone hasn't been getting his memo's." Jack smiled sweetly.

"Major Carter was transferred to a science orientated team two months ago at her request, a couple of weeks later she was taken off active duty." Hammond explained.

"We had word that Major Carter was pregnant."

"Hence the taken off active duty." Jack quipped.

"With your child Jack."

"You're fast Kinsey, only a month behind everyone else."

"That's a court-marshal offence."

"Actually, we started seeing each other _after_ she was transferred." Jack glared at the man.

"I will be investigating this further and I will find incriminating evidence, mark my words." He got up to leave.

"Is that a threat Kinsey?"

"It's a promise." He said before leaving.

"Ah crap!" Jack pounded his fist against the table.

"They will not find anything O'Neill, there is nothing to find." Teal'c stated.

"Oh they'll probably make something up. I swear, if he does anything to hurt Sam or the baby I'm going to kill him."

"That makes all of us then." Daniel said still glaring at the chair Kinsey had been sitting in.

"Indeed."

---------------------------

Jack knocked on the familiar door and waited for an answer. None came. He walked around the side of the big house and found who he was looking for digging up the weeds in the flowerbed.

"Hey Sara." He smiled as she turned to see who belonged to the shadow towering over her.

"Jack, what are you doing here?" She got up from the ground and took off her gardening gloves.

"Oh well I stopped by to say 'hi'."

"And?" She smirked.

"Well um, to tell you that I'm going to be a dad again." He shuffled his feet under her gaze.

"Congratulations Jack, who's the lucky woman?"

"Uh, you remember Sam Carter from my team? Well she isn't on my team anymore."

"The blond? She seemed nice."

"She is."

"How far along is she?" Sara started to walk towards the house.

"About two and a half months."

Sara smiled. "What's bugging you Jack?"

"Nothing why, do you think something's bugging me?" Jack sat on one of the chairs in the kitchen.

"I've known you too long not to notice when something is on your mind." She opened the fridge to get a cool drink.

"Well, you know I explained about the classified work I do."

"The bare necessities."

"Well, we were on a mission and were all drugged, my whole team. Well one thing led to another and Sam got pregnant."

"So you aren't actually going out?" She poured two glasses of orange juice.

"No."

"So you feel guilty?"

"Uh, yeah."

"But you want to go out with her right?"

"Yes."

"But you don't want her to think it's because of the baby."

"It's not because of the baby, I've wanted to ask her out for years but there were restrictions to stop us. Now there aren't any but the mental ones we both have." Jack explained.

"You really love her don't you?" Sara patted his arm.

"Yes."

"Then tell her how you feel."

"I can't, you know how crap I am at talking about things."

"True, but you have to try."

A car door slammed outside.

"Oh, that'll be Ben."

"Ben?" Jack asked intrigued.

"You aren't the only one with a love life you know." She teased.

"Hey Sara, you in here?" Ben yelled.

"In the kitchen." She yelled back.

"Oh, uh you are?" Ben asked as he spotted Jack.

"Jack O'Neill, ex-husband. You must be Ben."

"Yes, nice to meet you." Ben held out his pale hand and Jack gripped it firmly in his tanned one.

"So uh, I better be going." Jack smiled at Sara.

"Aren't you forgetting the real reason you came over here?" Sara grinned.

"That would be?"

"To get Charlie's old crib, it's up in the attic."

------------------

Jack arrived at Sam's house carrying the crib.

"Jack?" Sam asked as he carried it into the living room.

"Present from Sara, it was Charlie's."

"It's beautiful." She said running her hands over the white painted, wooden bars and the intricate design around the edges.

"She said if there was anything else we needed, or if it's a boy she has lots of Charlie's old baby things we could have."

"Thanks Jack."

"Want a drink?" He asked.

"Sure."

Jack went off to the kitchen to find the drinks leaving Sam to admire the handy work of Sara's father.

Sam found a note stuck to the bottom of the crib, it had her name on the front...


	7. Part 7

Thanks to Ellen for helping me out with this part, my brain was not cooperating properly and wouldn't let me think lol-like it ever does anyway!

_Jack went off to the kitchen to find the drinks leaving Sam to admire the handy work of Sara's father._

Sam found a note stuck to the bottom of the crib, it had her name on the front... 

Life on Hold part 7

Sam was very quiet in the other room so Jack popped his head around the doorframe to see her sitting on her couch reading something.

"What's that Sam?" He asked walking closer.

Sam looked up from the letter into his brown eyes.

"I love you Jack O'Neill." She said almost in tears.

Jack looked confused; he took the letter and read it.

'Dear Sam,

I'm writing this very quickly as Jack and my boyfriend Ben are getting the crib from the attic-I hope you like it. Jack explained to me the situation you are both in and what's on his mind.

As you know, Jack is one very complex man always hiding behind a joke but he is only human and there's something I think you need to know. Jack loves you with his whole heart, not because of the baby but because you make him a better man-anyone with eyes can see that. I think it's the way his eyes light up when he talks about you that really gives it away.

Jack will never make the first move; he respects you too much for that. If you love him then I suggest you do something about it because he will only say yes. He told me that he couldn't ask you because you would think it was for the baby, but Sam, he does love you.

Opps, they're coming back...

Love Sara xxx

P.S. Congratulations about the baby, feel free to come over anytime to talk.'

"Oh." He said after he had read it.

"I don't think it's because of the baby." Sam said pulling him down to sit next to her.

"That woman is a meddling..." Sam put her fingers on his lips, before replacing them with her lips.

It was just a short kiss with none of the passion they felt in it, just soft and tender love.

"...and I should send her a thank you bottle of wine." He smiled and leaned back in for another kiss.

--------------------

"Jack baby." Sam teased as she yanked the curtains open to let the harsh morning sun into the room.

Jack grunted then pulled the covers over his head.

"Jack, we need to go shopping." She said crawling up the bed to where his head was being hidden.

"Why?" Came a muffled reply.

"Because I can't do my jeans up anymore."

Sam was about four months pregnant; her stomach was starting to show the first visible signs of her pregnancy, otherwise known as 'The Bump'. Sam had laughed when Jack had first called it that and it had soon travelled the length of the SGC grapevine. She was shocked when Hammond himself had asked how 'The Bump' was. Of course it would have been hard to keep people from suspecting anything when Sam had started to show so soon after Sam's third month they decided to announce it officially.

The vomiting Sam had been having had settled down and all the scans Janet had performed seemed fine. Kinsey had been very quiet and had not turned up again so they hoped he would just stay back in the hole he had crawled out of.

"Fine, I'll get up." He wrapped the blankets tighter around himself and rolled over in a ball.

"Jonathan James O'Neill, get your butt out of bed this instant!" Sam shouted.

"Okay, okay...no need to wake up the rest of the neighbourhood Samantha." He smiled and sat up. "Are you wearing my jeans?"

"Well they're the only ones that fit." She pouted.

"I was going to wear them today."

"Think again mister." She kissed him on the cheek then jumped off the bed. "I'm making breakfast, what do you want?"

"Oh no, no, no, no, no, no." He said shaking his head. "You are not allowed to make food, not after the last concoction you made for me."

"I was experimenting, besides I liked it."

"Yes, pregnant women tend to eat disgusting things. Like fruit salad with pickled onion in it, tomato ketchup and peanut butter sandwiches..."

Sam glared at him as he went on with the list of things she had tried over the last two months.

"...not to mention actually making the trifle/Shepard's pie that you saw Rachel making off Friends!"

"Hey, I have cravings!"

"I know, that's what is so funny about it."

"Fine, you can make breakfast." Sam said taking her hands off her hips. "Then we'll go shopping and finally we'll come back here to tidy up for the gathering tonight."

"Ah yes, the gathering." Jack grinned.

The gathering was a little idea of Jack's to cheer Sam up. She had been having doubts about the baby from day one and everyone had been picking up on them, she thought she wasn't capable to look after the baby once it was born. So Jack had arranged for everyone-SG1, Hammond, Janet, Cassie-to go around to his house and just 'hang out' as he had put it. Jacob had turned up the day before and was surprised to say the least when Jack and Hammond had told him what had happened, so the three men had arranged for Jacobs arrival to be kept a secret from Sam until he arrived on their doorstep.

"Since when have you been so bossy?" Jack asked walking into the kitchen after her.

"Since I've been hanging around your favourite doctor instead of going off-world with you guys." She said. "Actually Janet blames the hormones, but I think that's just an excuse."

"Oh really?" He wrapped his arms around her waist and put his head on her shoulder.

Sam giggled as he started to nuzzle her neck.

"No giggling Major." He whispered in her ear sending shivers down Sam's spine.

"Uh Jack, breakfast?"

"Oh yeah, right." He grinned then reluctantly let her go to find the food.

They got through the day without any major hiccups; Jack couldn't help himself as he grinned the whole day making Sam suspicious. He refused to tell her why he looked like the cat that got the cream making her even more wary.

"They'll be here in a minute Sam." Jack called up the stairs.

"I'll be down in a minute." Came the reply.

"Women!" Jack muttered as he heard a car pull up outside. "Sam!"

"Okay, okay." She said walking down the stairs, no longer wearing a pair of Jack's jeans but a pretty summer dress.

"Wow."

"Jack you look like a fish." She smiled and pushed his chin up to shut his mouth.

"You look amazing." He kissed her lightly on the lips.

"Thank you." She smiled then opened the door to find her father standing there. "Dad?"

"Hey Sammy." He smiled warmly and pulled her into a hug.

"What are you doing here?" She managed to stammer after she had pulled away.

"What? I can't just turn up on my daughters doorstep to see how she is?" Jacob smiled.

"How did you know I was living here?"

"George, who else? Oh and Jack. Don't worry about it, I know everything."

"And you're not mad?"

"Well, I was mad, that is before I found out all the details."

"Not to mention threatening to rip my head off my shoulders if I ever hurt you." Jack smiled. "That seemed to calm him down a bit."

"A little threatening can do wonders for ones mood."

Jacob noted the scared look behind the smile Sam gave him.

"And of course I would like to see my grandchild." He patted her stomach then kissed her on the cheek again. "You going to let your old man in anytime today?"

Sam stepped back then followed Jacob into the living room.

"Samantha." Selmak spoke up. "Your father and I are very proud of you, you will make an excellent mother."

"Thank you Selmak. How did he take it, inside I mean?" She asked sitting down.

"Jacob was very shocked, but happy that you have the chance at a 'normal' life." Selmak bowed her head to let Jacob speak again.

"I am happy for you kid, you finally look happy."

A couple of car doors slammed outside.

"It looks like the rest are here." Jack said walking into the room with two glasses in his hands.

"Jack, I meant what I said." Jacob warned.

"And I meant what I said when I told you that I'd rather kill myself than hurt Sam."

"Good. Congratulations, I don't think I've said that yet."

"Thanks Jake." Jack smiled then followed Sam to the hall to greet the visitors.

Finally I've finished it (part 7 that is). Please review because its taken a lot of thinking and my brain isn't used to it lol.


	8. Part 8

Okay, I know the last chapter was kind of crap but I don't know where the hell this story I leading and am finding it hard to think of things for some reason-I have writers block!!!

Thank you all for the reviews-you are all brilliant!

"_Good. Congratulations, I don't think I've said that yet."_

"_Thanks Jake." Jack smiled then followed Sam to the hall to greet the visitors._

Life on Hold part 8

Sam yawned and laid her head on Jack's shoulder. Teal'c and Daniel had just left-the last two to leave-and Sam was exhausted.

"Come on you, its bed time." Jack smiled stroking the hair out of her face.

"Can't we just stay here?" She asked sleepily.

"No, because you'll get testy when you wake up with a bad neck tomorrow." He kissed the top of her head. "The sooner we get to bed, the sooner you can go to sleep."

Jack managed to get the sleepy Major up the stairs, changed and into the bed. He changed himself then crawled under the covers next to her.

"Goodnight Sam." He whispered and kissed her on the forehead; she was already fast asleep.

Jack was happy, really truly happy for the first time in a long while. He had Sam, for which he thanked whoever was out there listening for everyday. He had a little son or daughter on the way, his second chance at being a good father. He had his friends-his team, the Doc, Cassie and Hammond. He smiled as he remembered that evenings events.

Daniel and Teal'c had arrived after Jacob bringing with them wine and a bottle of orange juice for 'the bump'. It was a standing joke that Sam was off the coffee and onto the orange juice, which she swears has as much of a kick as caffeine.

Janet and Cassie had arrived not long after, followed by George. They talked about possible baby names, the things they still need for the baby and what was going on in everyone's lives.

"So how's Patrick Cassie?" Daniel asked.

"Patrick? Catch up Daniel-I dumped him last week." Cassie laughed.

Daniel looked perplexed. "Who is it now then?"

"Tom." Jack said.

"No, Tom was the week before." Sam grinned. "There isn't anyone this week."

"Why Cass?" Janet asked with a smirk.

"Because men are all bas..." Jack who was nearest clamped his hand over the fifteen year olds mouth.

"Where did you learn language like that Cassandra Fraiser?" George asked with a sly smile.

"Over hearing some of Sam and Mom's conversations." She grinned.

Sam and Janet went red, the men all started at them with questioning looks.

"What?" They asked.

Jack shook his head. "What is the world coming to?" He got a slap on the arm for that from Sam.

"Anyway, does anyone want another drink?" Janet asked glancing at Daniel who was watching the last drop of red wine circling the bottom of his glass.

"Sure." The archaeologist smiled.

"I believe you have had enough Daniel Jackson." Teal'c stated from his spot on the couch.

"Oh really? You believe?"

"Indeed."

Daniel nodded. "Okay, I'll steal some of Sam's OJ."

Daniel was such a lightweight; mind you he did drink the most. Jack mused before finally joining his girlfriend in the land of nod.

Three days later, Jack walked through the Stargate and down the ramp glad to be home. He smiled up at the control room where Hammond was standing. He'd just spent three boring days babysitting a science team on a very boring planet while they took very boring samples of very boring soil.

"Colonel O'Neill to the briefing room immediately."

Jack frowned; he handed his pack and weapons over to the SF's then preceded to the briefing room. Hammond was already sitting there with his hands clasped together on the table and Teal'c was standing behind a chair.

"Take a seat son." Hammond said.

"What's going on General?"

"Major Carter is missing." Teal'c said to get to the point.

"What?"

"The forensic team found nothing at your house. According to one of the neighbours, Major Carter got into her car and left around 8.30 Saturday morning." He explained.

"That's over 48 hours." He said in disbelief.

Daniel rushed into the room.

"The police have found Sam's car in a parking lot outside the fitness centre 2 blocks from your house." He said.

Jack ran his hands through his hair; Sam had been to the antenatal class at the fitness centre. She said she'd be fine without him there, how wrong she was.

"Anything else?"

"No witnesses."

"We have no jurisdiction outside this facility, Colonel." Hammond said.

"I know. We can still look, can't we?" He asked annoyed.

-----------------------

Sam frowned; the last thing she remembered was people grabbing her from behind outside the fitness centre. She tried to open her eyes but the light was too bright, she tried again and looked around. She was in some kind of hospital, she tried to sit up but found that she was strapped to the bed.

"Good morning Major." A doctor said walking into the room.

"What's going on, where am I?" She asked confused.

"In a hospital."

"What happened?" Her thoughts went to the baby; she didn't want anything to be wrong with her baby.

"We just need to run a few tests."

"What tests, why am I restrained?" She asked as the doctor walked closer with a syringe in his hand.

Something wasn't right about this, why was she in a hospital, strapped to the bed and with no one else around?

The man injected the contents of the syringe into her IV line as she struggled to stop him.

"No! Stop! No!" She cried before blanking out again.

--------------------

Back at the SGC, Jack was leaving the mountain when Daniel caught up with him.

"How do you know Maybourne will understand the message you left on the website?"

"Because this is Maybourne we're talking about, besides he has nothing better to do." Jack sighed. "I'm going to drop my National Geographic off to the homeless guy that answered my questions, bump into Maybourne and we'll go from there, okay?"

"Sure, see you later." Daniel said walking back towards the lift to continue his research.

-------------------------

Jack was sat in his truck in the fitness centre's parking lot. He was thinking about what Maybourne had said.

"You gotta prepare yourself for the possibility that she might not be coming back."

His voice echoed around in Jack's head. He couldn't live without Sam; it wasn't an option. Why did all the bad things have to happen when they were so happy together, starting a family? He tried to block out all the bad thoughts that wanted to take him over the edge and hit speed dial on his phone for Hammond's office.

-------------------------


	9. Part 9

He tried to block out all the bad thoughts that wanted to take him over the edge and hit speed dial on his phone for Hammond's office.

Life on Hold part 9

Jack had gotten back from his trip to Washington to see Simmons a very angry man. This had something to do with Maybourne and he was pissed to put it politely. He was pissed because finding Sam was taking too long, pissed because Maybourne had lied and pissed because they still only had limited information. Okay so there was a guy called Arian Conrad and his company that had paid Maybourne the three million dollars for information.

Jack was now waiting by Maybourne's car in an underground car park. As predicted he had found it with ease confirming that Harry was connected somehow.

"Harry." Jack said walking up behind the man.

"Jesus, Jack. You're stealing my routine."

"Consider it an homage."

"What's up Jack? I thought we trusted each other?" Jack almost growled at the man in front of him.

"You lied to me. Get in."

When they were both in the car Harry continued.

"Technically I didn't lie. I said I didn't know where Carter was or why she was taken."

"What was the three million dollars for?" Jack asked still suspicious.

"I acquired a piece of merchandise from the Russians and sold it to Zedatron."

"What?"

"A symbiote."

"What?" Jack didn't think that Maybourne would be that stupid, then again it was Maybourne.

"On their second mission, back when their Gate was active, the Russians ran into a group of Jaffa.

"I read that report."

"What the report didn't say was the Russians managed to take one of the Jaffa alive. They've held him in custody ever since."

"Man, you gotta love those guys." He said sarcastically.

"The Russians or the Jaffa?"

"Both actually."

"Apparently the symbiote was reaching maturity, I don't know what the Russians had planned. I assumed Zedatron wanted it for their biotech division."

"So why kidnap Sam?" It still didn't make sense, he was sure he was missing something major here.

"Carter once had a symbiote inside her."

"How'd they know that?"

"I don't know. I also don't know how they found out about me and my connections. But when people offer you three million dollars, you don't ask too many questions.

"Why not?" Jack was getting fed up now.

"Believe me Jack, I never thought it was going to come to this."

"What did you think was gonna happen?" He couldn't honestly expect them to use it for the advancement of medicine or anything.

"Well, in the right hands a symbiote could lead to all kinds of medical breakthroughs." Then again this was Harry Maybourne-dumb and dumber in one.

"What, you're a humanitarian now?"

Jack had an incredible urge to shoot Harry, but he couldn't. If he was going to find Sam and their baby then he needed Harry's help.

They arrived at the office of the doctor that delivered the symbiote, a Doctor Neil Brooke. Harry hacked into the computer at the same time as he tried to persuade Jack that they made a good team, which really got him angry. As soon as the files on Adrian Conrad had been found, Jack sent them over to the SGC for Fraiser and Jackson to go over and narrow the field down a bit.

-----------------------------

Sam was lying on the hospital bed, pretending to be asleep. She had overheard two of the doctors speaking so she had a good idea of why they had her strapped to the bed. They wanted to know about the Naquada in her blood and the protein marker left from Jolinar, she still had no idea who was keeping here there. They'd questioned her about the symbiote but she refused to give any information away.

As she feigned sleep, she tried to cut through the straps around her wrists with the scalpel she had acquired. She had some ideas why there was a scalpel near by, that along with the other equipment on the tray told her that she might not make it out of there alive. Or if she did, would the baby be all right after all the drugs she'd been given?

Her thoughts went to her baby and Jack. She'd failed him, his second chance at a family and she'd failed him. Tears threatened to spill but she held them back. She would never see Jack again, never know what it was like to be Mrs Jack O'Neill, to have a child and be truly happy. She would never watch her child playing in the garden with her husband, never see him or her grow up and make her proud, never be able to go to little league games or school plays...

The strap broke.

She quickly went through the other and started on her ankles. She was soon running out of the room and down the corridors trying to get out.

Then she'd met him, Adrian Conrad. She'd heard of him before; head of a multi national corporation called Zedatron Industries, he dealt with everything from shipyards to sportswear factories after he diversified from his fibre optic channel adaptors. He didn't look like a billionaire-he looked weak and helpless.

Sam would have shot him if he hadn't given her the chance to live, she had threatened.

"Go ahead. If I let you go, I'm dead anyway. Please Major Carter, if you put the gun down, there's a very good chance we can both live." He said. "As well as your baby."

She had had to give in; she couldn't let Jack down again.

Conrad and his doctors had explained about the symbiote and how she could help them, it wasn't a choice she was given either way they would try and find out how to remove it from the host without killing them. Then Conrad had had a coughing fit and was wheeled out of the room and she was left alone again, this time locked into the straps.

She tried not to think of the future or lack there of. It was hard but she tried.

A while later one of the doctors walked back into the room and over to the tray where she had found the scalpel.

That was not a good sign.

"What's happening? What are you doing?" She asked, as the doctor got ready to give her the lethal injection.

"You're going to kill me." Sam said. The guilt trip wasn't working on this man-how evil can you get?

"We could be saving millions of lives." The doctor replied.

Sam screwed up her eyes to stop the tears.

"Hold it! Drop it! Drop it! Right now! Don't even fool around!"

Sam opened her eyes to see Jack pointing his gun at the scared doctor. She felt like laughing, everything was going to be okay, or she could just be on the verge of hysteria.

"Come over here." Maybourne said to the doctor.

Sam frowned. Maybourne?

Jack walked over to the bed, to Sam.

"You all right?" He asked stroking her face.

"Yeah." She smiled. "Very dramatic, thank you."

Jack wasn't having any of it; she defiantly didn't look all right.

"You bet." He said looking at the straps around her wrists and ankles. He'd make sure she was properly all right once they were out of the hospital.

"The keys for the cuffs are in his pocket." Sam added aching for freedom.

Maybourne slung the keys at Jack who started to undo the straps. Sam was soon free and flung her self into Jack's open arms.

"Never do that again Sam, never leave me." Jack whispered into her hair.

"I'm sorry Jack, what about the baby?" She pulled back and he could see the pain in her eyes.

"Janet will check it out when we get back, the baby will be fine Sam." He assured her before radioing Daniel to tell him that Sam was safe only to find that Conrad and the Gould are missing.

TBC


	10. Part 10

"Janet will check it out when we get back, the baby will be fine Sam." He assured her before radioing Daniel to tell him that Sam was safe only to find that Conrad and the Gould are missing.

Life on Hold part10

Sam tried to remember what had happened after Jack had arrived; it was all a bit fuzzy. Daniel had radioed to say that the symbiote and Conrad were missing, Jack had asked if she was okay before handing her a gun, they had gone after Conrad, and they had split up. She remembered Jack on the floor; he had been shot.

Sam sat up quickly but immediately regretted it. She felt like someone was drilling a nail into her head and chewing their way through her muscles. She groaned.

"Whoa Sam, take it easy okay?" Daniel said pushing her back onto the bed.

"Daniel, where's Jack? Is he okay?" She asked grabbing onto his arm.

"He's in the bed to your right. He just got shot in the arm but he's fine." He reassured her.

"Hello Sam, how are you feeling?" Janet asked walking up to her bed.

"Like Alien is about to burst out of me."

"Yes, well I'm not surprised. You've been drugged up to the eyeballs and strapped to a bed for the last few days, you're bound to feel like shit." She looked at Daniel's reaction. "What? Isn't a doctor allowed to swear?"

Daniel shrugged.

"Well, you'll be fine Sam after a lot of rest. Chasing Adrian Conrad didn't do you any good; the drugs affected your muscles so they must really hurt now, I won't give you any painkillers because you've had enough drugs to last a lifetime and I don't want to endanger the baby anymore than it already has been."

"How is my baby?"

"As far as I can tell at the moment, fine. I want to do more tests when you're feeling better just to be on the safe side." Janet smiled. "Get some rest Sam, you need it."

Sam nodded and closed her eyes; she fell straight to sleep with Daniel holding her hand.

She woke hours later to find Jack talking to General Hammond.

"We don't know how Maybourne and Adrian Conrad got by the men surrounding the hospital. However the local authorities have admitted they may have dropped the ball." Hammond was saying.

"May? May have?!" Jack spluttered.

"The FBI and Interpol have been alerted, unfortunately we can't tell them everything."

"The bottom line is, there's a Goa'uld out there somewhere." Daniel added.

"Ah crap." He sighed. "How's Sam?"

"Still asleep."

Sam opened her eyes and looked towards the voices, the curtain was drawn to keep the light from Jack's cubicle off her as she slept. She moaned to get Daniel's attention.

"Actually she's awake." He smiled looking around the curtain. "How are you Sam?"

"I've been worse." She smiled back.

Daniel pulled back the curtain so that Sam and Jack could see each other.

"Hey Sam."

"Hi Jack."

"As nice as this is I have some paper work that desperately needs my attention." The General smiled before leaving.

"Me too, I left Teal'c with the new assistant." Daniel said. "They seemed to be getting along when I left but with Teal'c you never know."

Jack laughed as Daniel rushed out of the room leaving him alone with Sam.

"Sam, I was so scared I wasn't going to see you again." He admitted.

"So was I, I was scared I'd never see you again, never be able to touch you or smell you, never have your baby." She looked at the floor. "I thought I'd let you down."

"Let me down? Sam, none of this is your fault." He gritted his teeth as he turned to get off the bed.

"Does it hurt a lot?"

"I've had worse." He smiled and walked over to her bed, he took her hand in his good one. "Samantha Jean Carter, you could never let me down. Unless you ran off with the milkman or the circus."

Sam laughed.

"That's what I like to see, you laughing at my lame jokes. I love you Sam, nothing can change that." He bent down and kissed her forehead.

"I love you too Jack O'Neill with two ll's."

"Colonel O'Neill!" Jack jumped as he heard the familiar shrill.

"Ah crap." He whispered to Sam who grinned.

"What are you doing out of bed?" Fraiser asked walking over to them.

Sam had an inkling that Janet had been standing there a lot longer than she let on and had heard everything.

"Taking a stroll?"

Janet raised her eyebrows. "Get back into bed Colonel."

"Yes Ma'am." He muttered before turning back to his vacant bed.

"How do you expect to heal if you don't rest?" Janet went on with a smirk in her eye.

"Is that a rhetorical question?"

"In." She held up the covers for him to get under.

"Do you mind? These hospital gowns don't really cover much." He said.

"Seeing as I am the one that put you into the gown, it doesn't really matter does it?"

Jack reluctantly sat on the bed and swung his legs up.

"And besides, there are plenty of men on this base with a lot more to hide than you Colonel." Sam could swear that Janet had a huge grin plastered on her face as she walked off.

"That woman is evil." Jack said glaring at the door she had just exited from.

"I wouldn't say anything bad against her then Jack, she's the one with the needles." Sam reminded.

"Napoleonic power monger." He muttered laying back. "Sam, I'll keep watch if you want to sleep."

"I think we should both get some sleep."

"Yeah, maybe we can get Daniel to keep watch."

"Daniel?"

"Good point, he'll break when interrogated by Her. Maybe Teal'c will help, bribe him with Donuts...the ones with the icing on top and the sprinkles, he likes those."

Sam fell asleep to Jack's musings with a contented smile on her face.


	11. Part 11

"_Good point, he'll break when interrogated by Her. Maybe Teal'c will help, bribe him with Donuts…the ones with the icing on top and the sprinkles, he likes those." _

_Sam fell asleep to Jack's musings with a contented smile on her face._

Life on Hold part 11

Life got back to normal after the kidnapping incident, well a variation of normal for the SGC. Sam had taken maternity leave, leaving her very bored and irritable. SG1 had gotten a temp. on their team, an alien called Jonas Quinn who was a very quick study and an almost fitting replacement for Sam.

SG1 team nights had turned into SG1 plus Sam, Janet and Hammond when he was available. All were adjusting to the new "normal".

Daniel was pacing outside the infirmary, Teal'c stood guard next to the door and Jonas was sitting cross-legged on the floor. Two hours earlier they had received a frantic call from Jack telling them to get Janet and meet them at the infirmary-the baby was coming.

They had literally ran to the commissary to fetch Janet from her lunch break then ran all the way to meet the incoming baby.

They had been through this before when Sam had started to have contractions but they hadn't turned out to be the genuine article. Daniel complained that the baby was trying to mess with their minds after Teal'c had confiscated Daniel's tenth cup of coffee for that morning.

This was the real thing, Sam's water had broken and her contractions were five minutes apart.

All the men were acting like worried fathers in their own little ways. It's not surprising because Sam had dragged them all to her antenatal classes Lord knows how many times, they had all heard the gory details about the miracle of birth. Daniel had managed to opt out seeing as he could deliver a baby anyway and had, three times!

All they could hear now was Sam yelling in pain.

"Don't worry, they all do that." Daniel stated as Sam yelled louder than usual.

"That's reassuring." Jonas said not looking the least bit reassured.

"Indeed."

Ten minutes later General Hammond had joined them as well and was leaning against the wall.

"JACK O'NEILL! I'M GOIN TO KILL YOU!" Sam yelled as another contraction hit her. "YOU'RE NEVER GOIN TO TOUCH ME AGAIN, YOU HEAR?"

A passing airman looked from the door where the yell had come from, to the men waiting outside. He quickly kept on walking.

A while later, the yelling had subsided and a baby crying could be heard.

Jack walked out of the room with a shocked expression on his face. Both Jack and Sam hadn't wanted to know the sex of their child, so Janet hadn't even looked for herself.

"It's a girl." Jack said quietly.

Teal'c caught him before he hit the floor.

Jack woke up with a Janet looking down at him.

"Hello Doc."

"Colonel, how are you feeling now?"

"Fine, how are you feeling now?"

Janet raised an eyebrow before shining her penlight in his eyes.

"What happened? How are Sam and the baby?"

"Sam and your little girl are fine. You fainted, Sir." She said with a smirk on her face.

"Whoa Doc, these accusations are bad for a mans reputation!" He looked down at himself and realised he was still wearing his BDU's; he couldn't have been out for long.

"Albeit you fainted from a number of things; shock, shock and possibly the first signs of turning into a damsel in distress."

"Can I go now?" Jack scowled.

Janet motioned for him to leave; he bounded out of the bed and towards the direction all the people were standing.

"Okay people, move it: father coming through." He said pushing past the men.

There on the bed was the most beautiful sight he had ever seen; Sam grinning down at his perfect baby daughter who was fast asleep, and it looked like Sam was soon there. He bent down and kissed her on the forehead before stroking his daughter's light dusting of fair hair.

"I think both Sam and the baby need some sleep." Janet said ushering the crowd out of the room; there would be an influx of visitors and well-wishers if she didn't put her foot down right away. "You can all come back later, but just not all together."

She finally closed the infirmary doors and walked back to the new family. "Get some rest Sam, we'll move you to a private room later." She walked off to sign off on some charts.

"I'm so proud of you Sam."

"Do you want to hold her?" She asked offering their daughter to him.

Smiling, Jack reached out and carefully lifted the baby out of his partner's arms. He sat back on the comfy chair one of the nurses had procured and gazed down at the tiny child, his child. Sam smiled taking in the sight of the two most special people in her life. She fell asleep with a smile on her face.

Sam and the baby slept throughout the rest of the day, Jack held his daughter all that while until Janet insisted that he go get something to eat before he faints again.

"Colonel, Jack, they will still be here when you get back. I'll make sure of it." She whispered taking the baby in her arms.

"I'll be back soon." He kissed his child's head then Sam's before finding Daniel and Teal'c to accompany him to the commissary.

"You wish us to fend off the Airmen and Women who wish to congratulate you, do you not O'Neill?" Teal'c asked as they walked into the crowded food hall and people made their way over to the trio.

"Yeah, hit the nail on the head there, T."

Daniel grinned at the thought of being The Jack O'Neill, hard-ass Colonel's bodyguard.

"Don't go there, Daniel, you know I trust you as a soldier already." He got a clap on the back from Daniel as they pushed their way to the food.

"Okay Sam, we're moving you to your own room. We don't want your beautiful little girl being disturbed by Siler running in on fire do we?" Janet said half talking to her friend, half talking to her 'niece'.

Sam laughed, remembering when the three human members of SG1 were confined to the infirmary and saw Siler literally sprint into the room with his arm on fire, Janet threw a bucket of water over him much to his relief and everyone else's disappointment.

------------------------------

"Doc, you said they wouldn't be going anywhere!" Jack moaned to Janet.

"Well they are here, just in a private room. Room 4." She said watching him jog off to the room.

"Knock, knock." He whispered upon entering to see Sam smiling down at their daughter. He walked over to the bed and sat next to Sam. "She's so tiny."

"She's beautiful." Sam started to cry.

"Sam, honey, don't cry." He said wrapping his arms carefully around her and the baby and kissing her forehead.

"It's just what I've always wanted. A normal life with you and our baby."

"I know." He smiled resting his head on hers. "We still have to name her."

"How about Katherine?"

"I think it's perfect." He stroked his daughters' head with his finger as she stirred and gazed up at him with her big blue eyes. "Hey Katy, or do you want to be Kath?"

Sam laughed.

"Cassie suggested a middle name; Maria. It was her mothers name."

"Catherine Maria O'Neill, I like it."

"So do I." Jack grinned. "So do I."

x

Wow…I actually finished this chapter! After years (maybe months) of waiting, there it is…what do you think? Sorry it took so long…my muse ascended and only just came to visit.

Do you think this is a good enough ending or do you want another chapter?


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